Industrially useful microorganism

Abstract

The present invention provides a microorganism which comprises a chromosomal DNA lacking a part or entire of the gene encoding a protein having the amino acid sequence as shown in SEQ ID NO: 1 or 2, or the gene encoding a protein having 80% or more homology with the amino acid sequence as shown in SEQ ID NO: 1 or 2, and has the ability to produce a useful substance; a process for producing a useful substance using said strain; especially a process for producing a useful substance which is selected from the group consisting of proteins, peptides, amino acids, nucleic acids, vitamins, saccharides, organic acids, and lipids.

1 - 5 . (canceled) 
     
     
         6 . A process for producing a useful substance which comprises culturing a microorganism according in a medium so as to form and accumulate the useful substance in a culture product and recovering the useful substance from the culture product, wherein the microorganism comprises chromosomal DNA lacking a part or all of the gene encoding a protein having 95% or more homology with the amino acid sequence of at least one of SEQ ID NOs: 1 and 2, and which is capable of producing said useful substance. 
     
     
         7 . The process according to any one of  claims 6  and  8 , wherein the useful substance is selected from the group consisting of proteins, peptides, amino acids, nucleic acids, vitamins, saccharides, organic acids, and lipids. 
     
     
         8 . The microorganism according to  claim 6 , wherein the gene encoding a protein having the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 or 2 has the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 3 or 4, respectively. 
     
     
         9 . The process according to  claim 6  or  8 , wherein the ability to produce an amino acid is enhanced by a method selected from among the following [1] to [5]:
 [1] a method for reducing or removing at least one mechanism for regulating biosynthesis of the amino acid;   [2] a method for increasing the expression level of at least one enzyme associated with biosynthesis of the amino acid;   [3] a method for increasing the copy number of at least one enzyme gene associated with biosynthesis of the amino acid;   [4] a method for attenuating or blocking at least one metabolic pathway which branches from the biosynthetic pathway of the amino acid into metabolites other than the amino acid; or   [5] a method for selecting a strain that exhibits higher resistance to an analogue of an amino acid than a wild-type strain.   
     
     
         10 . The process according to any one of  claims 6  and  8 , wherein the microorganism belongs to the genus  Erwinia, Serratia, Salmonella, Escherichia, Proteus, Pseudomonas , or  Xanthomonas.    
     
     
         11 . The process according to  claim 9 , wherein the microorganism belongs to the genus  Erwinia, Serratia, Salmonella, Escherichia, Proteus, Pseudomonas , or  Xanthomonas.    
     
     
         12 . The process according to any one of  claims 6  and  8 , wherein the microorganism is selected from the group consisting of  Erwinia berbicola, Erwinia amylovora, Erwinia carotovora, Serratia marcescens, Serratiaficaria, Serratia fondeola, Serratia liquefaciens, Salmonella typhimurium, Escherichia coli, Proteus rettgeri, Pseudomonas putida, Pseudomonas fluorescens, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Pseudomonas dacunhae, Pseudomonas thazdinophilum, Xanthomonas oryzae , and  Xanthomonas capestris.    
     
     
         13 . The process according to  claim 9 , wherein the microorganism is selected from the group consisting of  Erwinia berbicola, Erwinia amylovora, Erwinia carotovora, Serratia marcescens, Serratiaficaria, Serratia fondeola, Serratia liquefaciens, Salmonella typhimurium, Escherichia coli, Proteus rettgeri, Pseudomonas putida, Pseudomonas fluorescens, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Pseudomonas dacunhae, Pseudomonas thazdinophilum, Xanthomonas oryzae , and  Xanthomonas capestris.    
     
     
         14 . The process according to  claim 9 , wherein the useful substance is selected from the group consisting of proteins, peptides, amino acids, nucleic acids, vitamins, saccharides, organic acids, and lipids. 
     
     
         15 . The process according to  claim 10 , wherein the useful substance is selected from the group consisting of proteins, peptides, amino acids, nucleic acids, vitamins, saccharides, organic acids, and lipids. 
     
     
         16 . The process according to  claim 11 , wherein the useful substance is selected from the group consisting of proteins, peptides, amino acids, nucleic acids, vitamins, saccharides, organic acids, and lipids.